SIEGES EVEN – A Sense of Change (Reissue, 2024)

SIEGES EVEN – A Sense of Change (Reissue, 2024)
Label(s):
Golden Core
Released Year:
2024
Type:
Full-length
Tracklist:
1. Ode To Sisyphus2. The Waking Hours3. Behind Closed Doors4. Change Of Seasons5. Dimensions6. Prime7. Epigram for the Last Straw8. These Empty Places

“A Sense of Change” is the third album by SIEGES EVEN. Released in 1991, it follows two incredible albums: the masterpiece debut “Lifecycle” and the unexpected “Steps”, which truly transformed the band’s sound. Despite this shift, the band maintained an incredibly high standard—sophomore slump was never an issue for SIEGES EVEN. In just two years, they managed to release two albums that are quintessential for the prog sound, whether it’s expressed through thrash power or a more melodic form.

Around the time of “Steps”, several iconic thrash/prog records were also being released, such as “Control and Resistance” by WATCHTOWER, “Futurity and Human Depressions” by OSIRIS, and “Dances of Death (And Other Walking Shadows)” by MEKONG DELTA. Alongside these were pure prog metal gems like PSYCHOTIC WALTZ’s “A Social Grace”, DREAM THEATER’s “When Dream and Day Unite”, and FATES WARNING’s “Perfect Symmetry”.

This was the era when SIEGES EVEN, after releasing a split with tech-thrashers NAPALM (1990), went on tour with PSYCHOTIC WALTZ in 1991. It seems that somewhere along the way, they decided to completely drop not only their thrash elements—something already hinted at in “Steps”—but also the metal edge in general.

Thus, the trio of Oliver Holzwarth (bass), Alex Holzwarth (drums), and Markus Steffen (guitars), joined by Jogi Kaiser on vocals (replacing Franz Herde), released the third SIEGES EVEN album, with yet another shift in musical direction. “A Sense of Change” transitions towards a prog/art rock style, leaning less on the prog-metal framework.

This phenomenal groundbreaking album is finally being re-released after all these years, remastered, and, for the first time, on vinyl. This edition will receive all the care and craftsmanship it deserves.

The production was handled by Charlie Bauerfeind at AHA Studio in Munich, the place where four young musicians founded the thrash band SODOM in the early 1980s. While this wasn’t the famed SODOM of Tom Angelripper that we all know, by 1988 they had delivered a milestone for European progressive metal with “Lifecycle” having changed their name to SIEGES EVEN. As mentioned earlier, changes were already apparent on “Steps”, and with “A Sense of Change”, they pulled off an unbelievable hat-trick.

With the much more melodic vocalist Jogi Kaiser, who is still active in musicals today, and a reduced metal element, this balancing act was achieved in an impressive manner. It was the first SIEGES EVEN album that was no longer released as an LP but only on CD by the label at the time (Steamhammer/SPV).

“A Sense of Change” was very successful in certain circles, but even so, guitarist Markus Steffen left the band. The album has finally received its long-overdue re-release in 2024, with the notable highlight of “first time on vinyl”. The material was first remastered, then separately mastered for CD and LP. The booklet and LP insert include, in addition to images from the original release, liner notes by guitarist Markus Steffen.

“A Sense of Change” was released on September 20th by Golden Core/ZYX Music, on both CD and LP.


Check the discussion about the album in our forum pages.


You can order both the CD and LP here.

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